Relationally responsibly reading: an approach to Indigenous literary criticism amid Métis identity politics in Canada

This research investigates Indigenous literary criticism practices relative to contemporary identity politics in a Canadian context, focusing on Métis (one of three constitutionally recognized Indigenous Peoples in Canada) politics considering recent accusations of identity theft leveled against the Métis Nation of Ontario at the first ever Summit of Indigenous Identity Fraud. This article provides an overview of the situation, followed by a suggested approach to Indigenous literary criticism that accounts for such identity politics, using Cherie Dimaline’s young adult novel, The Marrow Thieves (2017) as an example site for exploration. Considering the context and contention around Métis Nation of Ontario and its membership, this article develops a method of literary criticism that accounts for Indigenous identity politics and calls for responsibility and relationality in all readerships. This approach to literary criticism is called relationally responsible reading .